Bluetongue Disease: Vaccination

Stephen Hesford: To ask
the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which counties
will be prioritised in the roll-out of the bluetongue vaccination strategy from
May 2009. [231092]

Jane Kennedy: The 2009 vaccination strategy for Bluetongue
serotype 8 is currently being discussed with stakeholders. Further details will
be announced following these discussions with the expectation that the
vaccination plan will be published by December. This will be made available on
the DEFRA website.

3 Nov 2008 : Column 153W

Andrew Rosindell: To ask
the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many
bluetongue vaccines have been administered in the last 12 months. [231914]

Jane Kennedy: Vaccination against bluetongue in England and
Wales is voluntary, and delivered through existing veterinary medicine supply
chains, an approach agreed with the livestock industry to ensure the simple,
rapid roll-out of vaccine to protect animals earlier this year. Because the
approach to vaccination is voluntary, no definitive figures can be provided on
the numbers of livestock actually vaccinated.

However, to date,
sales data from the supply chain suggests the overall uptake of vaccine across
the whole of England is around 60 per cent. Initial vaccine uptake was high -
reaching between 80 per cent. and 90 per cent. in the south east and east of
England, but uptake in the counties of northern England and in Wales has been
lower.